TL;DR 5/5 Awash is a family run restaurant serving authentic Ethiopian cuisine as well as selling home goods and groceries you might not find in your daily store. The food is a great intro to the cuisine, but the flavors are a bit lighter than I expected. Service and friendliness are peak, and the ambiance is suitable for a chill lunch with friends, or a culinary excursion! Food: a friend and I picked Awash to try Ethiopian for the first time. If that's what you're looking for, Awash has you covered! We ordered the veggie and meat combos which allow you to sample an array of meat and veg curries (unsure of the proper term) along with the signature Injera, classic Ethiopian flatbread with a light spongy texture and sourdough-like tang. This is perfect for the culinary adventurer like ourselves, but their menu hosts a wide array of Ethiopian dishes we'd be excited to try in the future. I found the Injera to be delightfully unique in texture and flavor with their surprisingly light and delicate body. And eating with hands, as is traditional, is a fun experience. The curries were wide in variety and flavor, but I felt each one lacked a real depth and umami punch that you may find in other cuisines. Since I've now only had Ethiopian food once I don't have a frame of reference to compare, but I prefer to err on the side that this simple taste is a quality of being home cooked food, clearly prepared by the wife of the owner, and not of the cuisine as a whole. I would love to try other dishes to see if I can get that complexity, but if you come expecting the "wow" punch of comparable dishes from say Indian cuisine, don't. This is home cooked food by a family that has been running this shop for many years. Not a chef, not a kitchen, just a pair that is making their way and sharing with the world their culture and cuisine. Service: Being a family restaurant, the husband and wife pair were the ones to serve us on the quiet Saturday afternoon we stepped in. The husband has better English, and was happy to recommend dishes, teach me how to eat with my hands, and check on our experience throughout our meal! Extremely welcoming, and I could feel his joy at being able to share his culture with me. That in and of itself makes this a 5 star meal. The restaurant is also patronized by members of the local community, lending to a casual and friendly atmosphere where the husband will sit in the dining area with his friends when it's quiet, where they will chat, and he will occasionally call out to me casually to see how I liked the food. Very sweet! Again, this is a family and community institution. Do not expect on hand waiter service, DO expect owners that will come and happily help if you call, and do expect authentic smiles and excitement if you're a first timer. Ambiance: Awash has a lovely and welcoming exterior ripe with culturally inspired colors. The open layout interior from the dining area to the grocery store is clean and orderly. The decor itself is sparse, but you can really get the vibe that the husband and wife who own Awash have started, sustained, and built a life out of this quaint shop. It's great for dining with friends, family, or dates if you're coming specifically for the food. If you're trying to get to know someone, though, save Awash for when you're already together lol. Overall, I can't give awash less than a 5/5 for the excellent introduction to Ethiopian cuisine, the homey and sweet owners, and the casual friendly vibes. Will definitely be back to try more! read more

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Coming in, the restaurant is small, but has a charming and homey quality to it. The servers are so sweet, and would check in on us throughout our meal. We ordered the meat and vegetarian combo platters, and the food was very delicious. The portions were sadly a little small compared to the amount of injura we got and the price we paid, but delicious nonetheless. Unfortunately, the day after my friend and I both got food poisoning from this restaurant. I want to love this place since the food and people were great, but from sifting through Yelp reviews, it seems like food poisoning is a common thing guests experience. read more

I haven't had too much Ethiopian food, but this place is the most authentic place I've been to and it was really good! Started with the Sambusas, which were smaller than I anticipated, but soo tasty! The shell had such a nice crisp to it (not a crunch, but crisp) and was stuffed nicely. However, I wasn't a fan of the sauce it came with. For the meal, I tried the Awaze Tibs. Loved the presentation and they gave lots of injera. The beef tenderloin was very tender. While I did enjoy the dish, I got a bit tired of it after a while since it was on the oilier side. Would come again and recommend! read more

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This place is so good and you always feel right at home. The servers are so kind and patient, lovely people with a family atmosphere. Server had great recommendations if you weren't sure what to order, ended up getting a combo platter with a few meat dishes and some veggie dishes. A great spot for a casual dinner and friendly service read more

Every time I pass by Awash and smell the food, my mouth waters. It gives a mom and pop vibe, has a little market in the back, and the service is always very attentive and kind. Came by on a Saturday mid-afternoon and the place was mostly empty, and we were able to just take any seat we liked in the front room. They came by and took our order and when I wasn't sure if the spicy tibs were going to be too spicy, he kindly offered to give me a sample including some of their delicious injera. It was delicious, and the spice only added flavor and wasn't too intense at all. We went with the Awash special spicy tibs and the meat combo and it came on the plate with injera as the base and a bunch of rolls on the side. It was a ton of food, and the tibs are always so amazing; I love even just dipping the injera in the sauce and soaking it up. If you've never had injera before, it's a super spongy sour bread that's made of some gluten-free flour. It's delicious and really light, and the way you eat is by picking up the meat or whatever you have in front of you with the injera and eating it all together. I'd say the meat combo wasn't my favorite since the Tibs blow all the other meats out of the water and in the future I'd stick with what my friends and I do usually: the Awash special spicy tibs and the Veggie Combo. Adding the Veggie combo adds the nice acidic and healthy balance that you need when consuming the sour injera and the savory tibs. Would recommend Awash to everyone I know. It's not necessarily a cutesy spot, but it's a place to go when you want to eat some delicious Ethiopian food and walk away with your tummies happy. read more

Awash Ethiopian Restaurant - Awash tibs and Vegetarian Combo - Ethiopian Near Me - San Diego, California

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Ambiance...cute spot with a market. Family friendly. Service..friendly and fast Food..amazing...had the vegan entree with the bread. Felt like home cooked food and only one curry was spicy. read more

Awash Ethiopian Restaurant - Ethiopian Near Me - San Diego, California

This was my first time trying Ethiopian food and it will not be my last! I've been wanting to try Awash for a while so when my friend suggested it for her birthday I was super excited. We got the Vetarian combo, short ribs, and the spicy goat stew and they were all incredible. We couldn't decide what to order at first and our waiter gave us so many suggestions and he really led us in the right direction. Also when he found out it was my friend's birthday he brought us a free bottle of the honey wine! It was very sweet but had great flavor. I can't wait to come back and try more items from their menu, I HIGHLY recommend. read more

Awash Ethiopian Restaurant - Ethiopian Near Me - San Diego, California

Delicious! The vegan combo is perfect! I ate every last morsel and ALL the injera. Although I love lamb wot, I never miss eating meat with all the savory Ethiopian spices. I had forgotten this treasure but will definitely be back to get my fix now that it's back on my radar. Soooo good! There are only 3-4 tables inside and parking is tight but there is a tiny lot in back. Just be super careful turning in between the buildings. Excellent value! read more

Awash Ethiopian Restaurant - 26. Vegan Combo - Ethiopian Near Me - San Diego, California

After seeing all the rave reviews, I decided to try this place out. We ordered to go, and honestly, I'm not a fan. I fell in love with Ethiopian food while I lived in D.C. The closet I've found is Rosalind's in LA, but now being in San Diego, I was looking for an option here. Awash offers two different types of injera, the teff has almost an earthy taste to it and the white injera, was slightly better, but I still don't really like it. It also tastes almost like it was over cooked/almost burnt. Neither has the slight sour tanginess that I enjoy with injera. The Awaze tibs has a smokiness to it and the meat is lacking flavor. It tastes more like meat in a sauce than meat flavored by a sauce. We also ordered the vegetarian combo, and it's fine, but most are overpowered by the injera. Overall, I didn't like it enough to eat and wouldn't order from Awash again. read more

Awash Ethiopian Restaurant - 2. Awaze Tibs - Ethiopian Near Me - San Diego, California

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Been here multiple times. Good price for delicious authentic Ethiopian food. Thanks Demilie for your great customer service each time. read more

Awash Ethiopian Restaurant - Vegetarian and meat combo - Ethiopian Near Me - San Diego, California

Everything was delicious and well cooked. We came in about an hour before closing. We were the only customers closing out their night, but they welcomed up with great service and delicious food. Both dishes with teas ran us $50. The restaurant was clean and the back is a grocery store carrying speciality items that tailor to East Africans. They had Ethiopian music playing and were singing along. To some extent, it felt like we were dining in someone's house which was a nice feel. We'll definitely put this on our list of go to places for San Diego. read more

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I asked to try something new and I was not disappointed with this hidden gem. Delicious, authentic, surreal. read more

Awash Ethiopian Restaurant - Ethiopian Near Me - San Diego, California

Authentic and truly a hole in the wall gem in San Diego. Last time I went the restaurant is located all the way inside a restaurant and the place is a small venue but the food and experience is truly unique. Decent pricing and a great and different type of food. To eat the food you will use your hands so bring some disposable gloves or remember to wash your hands! read more

Awash Ethiopian Restaurant - Ethiopian Near Me - San Diego, California

Every time we've gone there the food has been amaaaazing!! The staff is also lovely and so very helpful.

everything's really flavorful. we always get a veggie combo, which comes with split peas, lentils, cabbage, ground peas & collards. the first time we went, we got a meat combo as well, which comes with different stews of beef or lamb in berbere or turmeric sauces. it was nice to try this the first time, then zero in on which we liked best. at first the cubed meat was a lil tough so we preferred the ground beef preparations, but the next time, the yebere siga wot was very tender your orders come out on one communal plate with enjera (spongy sourdough flatbread) underneath & on the side. our first visit, the portions didn't look like much at first, but they were actually filling. & our next visit, the portions were larger. all in all the food was v good & we'll keep coming back! read more

My husband's favorite spot for years -- and I can see why! The food is incredibly authentic, consistently delicious, and full of comforting flavors. The veggie combo is our go-to every single time. And order extra miser wot because it's the best. The owner is so sweet and welcoming, which makes the experience even better. Highly recommend! read more

Awash Ethiopian Restaurant - 26. Vegan Combo - Ethiopian Near Me - San Diego, California

The gentleman that served us was friendly and welcoming. As we ordered, he noticed our plates would be part of a combo meal and offered that for us. It was an excellent suggestion and it was more than enough food for our party of 3. I've never had Ethiopian food before, but everything was hot and fresh, and tasted delicious. Definitely enjoyed our dining experience and hope to go back soon. read more

Have eaten here countless times and the service is friendly. The food post-pandemic has been uneven - sometimes it's great, other times it's bland. I like Awash, and I want them to succeed, but I just want to point out that last night's dinner was catastrophic. My partner and I got food poisoning. I have bubble gut and the runs, while my partner is suffering much worse than me. He was up from 2am - 6am alternating extreme barfing and diarrhea with cramps and chills. And now today he has barfed a dozen more times and has been rolling around in bed, miserable. Eat at your own risk. I just hope this was a one time deal. We probably won't be going back though....not for a while... read more

We feel like family here. We have found that Awash is the best Ethiopian food restaurant in San Diego. Domilay is always there to greet you with a hug and a smile. Hopefully the back room will re open to serve more guests bc everytime we come, the front room is busy. The word is out on how good the food is. Highly recommend #1 both ways. Wet and dry.. read more

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The food made me sick. I do not have a sensitive stomach so whatever it was purely how they prepared the the food or the quality of ingredients. Big red flag and warning to others. Aside from being sick all day. The food wasn't anything to write home about. Got the meat combo and only 2 items had flavor. Some of the larger pieces of meat were really dry. Had better. Double whammy. Regretting my choice of getting food here and not willing to every try again. read more

DELICIOUS!!! Went with a friend and we ordered the veggie and the meat combo and it was so good. Our server was also the cashier and he was genuinely so sweet (I love the little jog he does). This was my first time trying Ethiopian food and it was sooo unbelievably delicious that I'm looking forward to trying more!!! :) I highly recommend supporting this business read more

Awash Ethiopian Restaurant - 24. Meat Combo Veggie combo - Ethiopian Near Me - San Diego, California

BEST FOOD EVER! Great customer service! would recommend to anybody best place I've been to in a while . read more

Unfortunately, service was slow and disorganized and food was lackluster. Water was not provided for for free, or even in glasses. Plastic bottles were charged at a rate of $1 per person. We ordered some curries to go initially, but was not provided in a timely manner even at the end. When asked, the response was "soon," which appeared to be 20 minutes at the minimum. Food was Ethiopian, yes, but the injera was stale, the cabbage curry tasted notably spoiled, and the gomen lacked any semblance of flavor. Veggie platter came with an abundance of injera but a carefully proportioned, insufficient amount of each side dish. Overall, disappointing for price and hype. read more

Awash was amazing. I don't know what I can write to convince someone to try it, but I would definitely recommend this place to anyone who will listen. The food is simply delectable. Ethiopian cuisine has an untouched blend of spices making it a very unique food experience and they deliver that experience with such pride and skillfulness. The restaurant has such a family friendly and comforting vibe to it which made my experience all the more delightful. The owner/worker was super friendly and was patient enough to walk us through what's what in the menu and in the market. Speaking of the market, there is a pretty good selection of Ethiopian products which were very fun to look through. Overall, I would definitely go back and indulge in their great food again. read more

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Always craving Ethiopian food since we don't have it back home and was excited to try someplace new for lunch. I didn't read all the reviews just chose based on number of stars and what was open and closest. The place seemed like a very local neighborhood type place with friends hanging out, grocery store in the back. The proprietor was very friendly and responsive and kind. He seemed like a lovely person. The experience is very relaxed, not super professional. So we didn't have napkins until I got up to ask for some after having eaten and messy fingers, water is plastic water bottles from the store, gotta get up to ask for things bc the proprietor is behind the register. It's definitely got a bodega vibe and very casual atmosphere, not so much a restaurant. Food came out quickly. Got the meat combo and veg combo. VERY generous with the amount of injera given. Always my fave is the cabbage and carrots, cooked really nicely here with some nice bite left on the cabbage. The other dishes were fine. Perhaps my bad for not reading the reviews about the vibe and my experience was fine. Just not exactly a restaurant experience. read more

Awash Ethiopian Restaurant - Meat and veg combos - Ethiopian Near Me - San Diego, California

I rarely ever use this word: PHENOMENAL!! I am literally so amazed. I have never tried Ethiopian food in my adult life and was not expecting this. Our server was very friendly. He explained a lot of things to us and made recommendations and was accommodating and really nice. The place is cozy and feels authentic. Every single item we got was good. I don't remember what anything was called but the saucy meat thing in the small plate (kind of like a stew) was my favorite. My colleagues liked the short ribs the most. We almost didn't come here but I'm so glad we did. The big plate is shared family style and eaten with hands. No utensils, just the Injera (bread, like a fluffy tortilla). Everything was so flavorful, I don't even have words to describe it. Genuinely the best food I've had in a while! Highly recommend this place for both food and service. Presentation was very nice too. read more

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God. I love this place. I have been going there ever since it was a tiny 4 table room in the back of the store. It was more than a restaurant, but a place for the community. The owners are so awesome, too. The food is to die for. Don't just order two dishes. Order at least 2-3 vegetables and a couple of meats. Take leftovers home. Drink some Ethiopian beer. I haven't been there for a while. But if I have one minute, I'll find my way there. read more

Very friendly staff! Delicious food either to eat in or take away. I especially like that the sell injera too so that I can take a whole pack home with me! read more

Food was incredible! The tibs were my favorite. Service was friendly and nice! Can't wait to go back read more

Awash Ethiopian Restaurant - Ethiopian Near Me - San Diego, California

Amazing food and service, Ethiopian beer was tasty as well. The beef was well cooked and the chicken was really tender read more

Awash Ethiopian Restaurant - 9. Yebeg Siga Wot and 1. Awash Special T'ibs - Ethiopian Near Me - San Diego, California

First time trying Ethiopian food and it was delicious! Husband and I attempt to try a new cuisine every month, and glad we came across this place. Large potion size too! 2 sides and 1 entree were enough for both of us (and we're both big eaters) Awash Special Tibs - this was delicious! Really perfectly cooked beef tenderloin, lovely curry (right amount of spicy and didn't seem too oily even though it had butter). Injera - so soft and so fluffy and flavorful! And really big too! Husband enjoyed it plain as well! Tikil Gomen (cabbage side dish) - this had a lot of flavor, but also too much butter. Nice dish overall. Gomen (collard greens side dish) - this was soso. Decent flavor, but had a bit of pungent taste to it for some reason. Probably won't recommend it. Red paste that was on the ribs was nice. Very strong flavor so I wouldn't recommend having too much per bite. read more

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I tried this place on a whim because I wanted to experience Ethiopian cuisine. I was pleasantly surprised. Firstly, the staff was incredibly kind. The food itself was pretty good especially the galbi. It was definitely a fun experience and worth a try. read more

Amazing fantastic delicious and I want to eat more but my stomach won't allow it. I love all the spices used. The food is so fragrant. The food was served with rolls of injera bread. You break of pieces of it to grab the meats and veggies to eat. A giant metal spoon was the only utensil on the table. We ate with our hands. Small unique restaurants like these keep disappearing and getting replaced by chains. It's part liquor store, part market for spices and flour, maybe a butcher shop not sure. There's outdoor seating, inside the market seating and behind the market seating. Parking is easy on a weekday after 6pm. Food is cooked fresh so it does take a little time. I thoroughly enjoyed my food and can't wait to eat it at home over rice! read more

Awash Ethiopian Restaurant - #1,#23 and a side of chickpeas. - Ethiopian Near Me - San Diego, California

I was disappointed with their portions and the taste of the food. I ordered the three different meats plate and they were just ok.

Amazing food prepared in the back of a small bodega style grocery market. Authentic, delicious flavors. If you like Ethiopian food, you will not be disappointed! read more

Awash Ethiopian is the best I've found across the West Coast, New Mexico, and Texas. The Shiro Wot with Teff inj, veggie combo plate, and ginger tea (sweetened with real honey!) are absolutely incredible. It's tucked inside a small Ethiopian grocery, humble in atmosphere but rich in flavor and heart. read more

Awash Ethiopian Restaurant - 3. Awash Special Ginger Tea - Ethiopian Near Me - San Diego, California

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What a lovely wholesome restaurant. Whether it's dining in or carry out, the quality of their food is unparalleled. Staff that treats you like family, and fresh made food to fill your palate makes for a perfect meal! This no frills restaurant located inside a grocery store has some of the best Ethiopian food San Diego has to offer! read more

Good food overall.... we got 3 orders. One slow cooked beef, one spaghetti with meat sauce and one vegetarian. The meat based food was ok. I didn't like the vegetarian food.nlNone of us liked the bread eother. Overall, food was good. Service was really nice although it was very slow, but tge waitress was really nice. Do we go back, probably not. read more

Awash Ethiopian Restaurant - Ethiopian Near Me - San Diego, California

This was the best Ethiopian food I have had, the combo plates (both Veg and Meat) were divine and both the injeras (gluten and gluten free) were delicious. Service was amazing and the staff are super kind and friendly. read more

Great food and great service in an unorthodox way. It's always a great visit, and the coffee is a must. read more